Plastic pollution is a serious problem. Microplastics are plastic pieces less than 5mm in diameter. They are present in almost every form of water, from lakes to rivers to our tapwater supply. Floating trash, largely composed of single-use plastic, has formed large masses on the ocean.

Plastics don’t break down the way most organic material does. Plastic photogrades, meaning it simply breaks into smaller and smaller pieces over time. At the smallest levels, plastic particles on a nanoscale begin to change, and more easily move through its surrounding environments into surface water, groundwater, or soil.

Single-use plastics found in packaging are some of the largest contributors to plastic pollution. Consumers can help solve the problem by repurposing plastic themselves and cutting some plastics out of their life, such as single-use straws and utensils.

For more information, visit iowa-environmental-focus dot org.
From the UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, I’m Betsy Stone.